PANAJI
Here is the truth: And it's not what Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, BJP leaders and those part of the current government have been telling you.
The Goa Government's consistent stand before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal has been that Karnataka's claims of needing the diversion of the waters of Mhadei for "drinking water" needs of the twin cities of Hubli and Dharwad are just an excuse cooked up to satiate Karnataka's promotion of water-guzzling crops like sugarcane and paddy.
A perusal of the affidavits filed on record by the State of Goa before the Mhadei Water Disputes Tribunal has revealed that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's assurance to former Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa that "the State of Goa would not oppose the reasonable and justified quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking" is completely contrary to the resolute stand on record taken by Goa before the Tribunal.
"Assuming, without in any manner admitting, that there is any water scarcity in Hubli-Dharwad region, then the same is due to the deliberate usage of water from the Malaprabha Basin (which was earmarked for drinking water purpose) for the purpose of irrigating the cash crops in the Hubli-Dharwad region," the State government has said on record in a statement of claims (affidavit) filed before the Tribunal on April 23, 2015.
The affidavit has also, on record, stated that Karnataka is "feigning" the need for drinking water while also encouraging water-guzzling crops but later admitted after "Goa exposed Karnataka's intentions."
"An attempt is being made to justify diversions, citing alleged need of Hubli-Dharwad drinking water requirements. However, this is totally incorrect, inasmuch as the entire attempt is to divert waters for irrigation purposes. The water available in the Malaprabha basin is being mismanaged and mis-utilised. Instead, the entire attempt is to put into jeopardy the very sustenance of Mhadei River and the Mhadei river basin, the large part of which is located in the State of Goa," the State government has said in the same affidavit before the Tribunal.
"The State of Karnataka should have enforced demand-side management and ought to have controlled water utilisation, giving highest priority to drinking water requirements of Hubli-Dharwad cities. Instead, crops such as sugarcane and paddy have been promoted and allowed to replace the traditional crop along the Malaprabha basin," the affidavit reads.
"The State of Goa repeats and reiterates that such alleged drinking water shortage can very well be met by diverting the water from rivers Kali and Bedti (which are intra State rivers), rather than resorting to interbasin diversion from River Mhadei," the State of Goa has said.
The State of Goa further submitted that "if the State of Karnataka does not show the administrative and the political will to control the use of water for irrigation by sugar cane and other such water-guzzling crops, then even the 7.56 TMC diversion from Mandovi will be eaten away by sugarcane and other such water-guzzling crops and the drinking water shortage will continue."
Further Karnataka has not mentioned as to how the domestic water supply needs of Hubli - Dharwad cannot be met locally from waters available in the surplus Malaprabha sub-basin, in which these two towns are located or from Kalinadi basin just adjoining these cities.
"In reality, the excuse of drinking water supply to Hubli-Dharwad to justify Kalsa-Bhandura project was invented much later because it matched the provisions of National Water Policy, 1987 which gives preference to projects which aim at mitigating drinking water needs," the State government has maintained.
"The main purpose is to divert available resources to irrigation, create artificial shortages for drinking water requirements and on basis of such artificial shortages to effect trans-basin diversions. Besides, in proposing such trans-basin diversions, the State of Karnataka proposes to virtually appropriate unreasonable shares.
North Karnataka bandh today
BENGALURU: A bandh would be observed in north Karnataka districts on Wednesday over the issue of getting inter-state Mhadei river water from Goa to meet the drinking water needs of drought prone areas of the region.
The dawn-to-dusk bandh, called by ‘'Mhadei Kalasa Banduri Nala Horata Samanvaya Samiti'', an umbrella organisation spearheading the agitation on the issue, is being supported by several pro-Kannada and other organisations, including the Kannada film industry.
Terming the bandh as a "warning bell" to the state and central governments, the samiti leaders demanded a solution at the earliest, even as they hit out at political parties for playing politics on the issue. The bandh is likely to have an impact in Gadag, Dharwad, Bagalkote, Hubballi, Bailahongala and neighbouring areas.
GOA'S AFFIDAVIT: IN BLACK & WHITE
Attempt being made to justify diversions citing alleged need of Hubli-Dharwad drinking water requirements
Karnataka should have controlled water utilisation giving highest priority to drinking water requirements of Hubli-Dharwad cities
Crops such as sugarcane & paddy promoted and allowed to replace traditional crops along Malaprabha basin
K'taka's alleged drinking water shortage can be met by diverting water from rivers Kali & Bedti, rather than resorting to interbasin diversion from Mhadei
If Karnataka does not show will to control use of water for irrigation... then drinking water shortage will continue
Main purpose is to divert available resources to irrigation and create artificial shortages for drinking water
PARRIKAR'S LATEST MOVE...
In principle, the State of Goa would not oppose the reasonable and justified quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking....
Government of Goa understands that access to the drinking water is a basic human need
It is to confirm to you that on humanitarian grounds, Goa is willing to consider request to work out an amicable settlement strictly restricted to drinking water only to the drought-prone areas
